Australia 2001 Centenary of Federation 50c – found in change
The Centenary of Federation 50c coin shown above is a circulation 50c coin in the 2001 series commemorating 100 years of Federation released by the Royal Australian Mint and can be found in your change.
The reverse design features the Australian Coat of Arms. This Coat of Arms consists of a shield depicting the badges of the six Australian States. Aside the shield are a Red Kangaroo and Emu. These animals symbolise a nation moving forward. Above the shield is a seven pointed star on a wreath, each point representing the 6 States and one for the Territories. Below are sprays of Golden Wattle and ‘Australia’ in a scroll.
This 50c is the standard 31.51mm dodecagonal coin with plain edging. It is copper nickel weighing 15.55g. In 2001 there were many coins released into circulation commemorating the Centenary of Federation including a one dollar coin, 50c and 20c issues. This is just one in a series which includes 9 fifty cent coins depicting each state and territory of Australia that were joined together in 1901 at Australia’s Federation.
The obverse of this coin is the standard Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Queen Elizabeth II.
43,149,600 of these coins were issued into circulation.
Mintages of this coin in other sets can be seen below:
21,040 uncirculated coins were released included in incomplete 20 coin sets
13,000 proof coins were released in incomplete 20 coin sets
These sets were released with the Centenary of Federation one dollar and the 20c for NSW and 50c National Issue and for NSW. It was up to collectors to purchase each other State’s coin to compete the sets.
The proof version found in the 2001 Australian Proof sets was a coloured coin and there were 59,569 of these sets produced.
90,822 Mint Sets were also produced which included this coin in uncirculated condition.
